Rangers defenseman Marc Staal, who has missed the past two games with a suspected left knee issue, pronounced himself good to go for Thursday night’s match at the Garden against the Senators, but not before unleashing a slap shot at this morning’s skate that knocked down Henrik Lundqvist after hitting the goaltender in the mask.

Lundqvist, who has played the last two games with a stiff neck following Friday’s goalmouth collision initiated by Montreal’s Benoit Pouliot, seemed irritated, shouting before sending the puck back in the direction of the defensemen who were lined up on the blue line to shoot.

“I’m OK,” said Lundqvist, who had a brief one-on-one chat with coach John Tortorella before leaving the ice, and who will make his 19th straight start Thursday night.

Martin Biron suffered a season-ending broken collarbone on Feb. 28 when a rising Derek Stepan shot caught him during a practice drill. Lundqvist suffered a bruised neck in November when a Brian Boyle slap shot in practice got away from the center.

Tortorella, though, has gone on record stating that he will not caution his players to keep their shots down in practice.

Staal is believed to have aggravated the left knee in last Friday’s game that he originally injured in Carolina on Feb. 22. The defenseman was sidelined for three games before playing the next seven. But he then missed the victories in Pittsburgh on Sunday and at the Garden against the Panthers on Tuesday that extended the club’s winning streak to five games.

“It felt pretty good, so I’ll be back at it tonight,” said Staal, who skated on his own Wednesday before joining the club Thursday morning.

“It’ll be good to be back in the lineup and try and win a big game at home.”

Staal’s return bumped Matt Gilroy into street clothes, with Steve Eminger dressing for the fifth straight match after being healthy scratch in four of the previous five games and in 13 of the previous 18 following the All-Star break.

“[Gilroy] hasn’t been real bad, but I like the way [Eminger] has played underneath the hash marks and with his physical play,” Tortorella said. “So he’ll go.”

Eminger, who partnered with Dan Girardi in Staal’s most recent absence, skates with Bryan McCabe.

Sean Avery was scratched for the fourth straight game and fifth of the last six matches.

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The seventh-place Rangers’ magic number for clinching a playoff spot is 13 points that they either gain or the ninth-place Hurricanes lose

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The Rangers announced the signing of 20-year-old free agent goaltender Jason Missiaen, who was selected by Montreal in the fourth round and116th overall in the 2008 Entry Draft.

The 6-8, 220-pound netminder (yes, 6-8, 220 pounds) had a 3.33 GAA and .893 save percentage while going 10-33-7 (yes, 10-33-7) for QMJHL Baie-Comeau. Missiaen was drafted out of Peterborough of the OHL.